The Hollow Point

The Hollow Point stars Patrick Wilson, Lynn Collins, Ian McShane, John Leguizamo, and Jim Belushi. It was released back in 2016 and was directed by Gonzalo López-Gallego who has a very limited filmography, but is probably best know for directing the 2011 sci-fi/ horror film Apollo 18.

The premise of this movie is that hollow point bullets are being smuggled into Mexico from the United States, by way of a desolate road out of a small border town. When the town's Sheriff (played by Patrick Wilson) starts to investigate he quickly finds himself in over his head. It turns out that the bullets are being sold to drug cartels and there is a relentless hitman (played by John Leguizamo) with a list of targets. 

I'm not going to say that is a great movie by any stretch but, I was fully engaged while watching it. I like a lot of the actors involved, and the story is a serviceable thriller. I do think that the first half of the film is a bit better than the second. As it went along it seemed to lose focus and it all lead to a lackluster conclusion. The film looks good and there is some slick cinematography but, the writing in my opinion is where this film suffers. The characters all felt pretty one dimensional and there's this odd recurring thing where anytime Patrick Wilson's character leaves a room, whoever he was talking to calls him an 'asshole'. Not to his face or in a confrontational way, they just kind of murmur it to themselves. Likewise, everyone keeps calling Ian McShane a 'dinosaur'. Sure, the man's in his 70's but, it just seems like lazy writing.

Overall, I thought The Hollow Point was pretty entertaining. It has it's problems and I wouldn't call it a 'must-see' but, it's alright.
2.5 out of 5.

The Numbers Station

Released in 2013, The Numbers Station is thriller Starring John Cusack and Milan Akerman.

The film set, almost entirely, in secret American numbers station and the function of this location is to broadcast codes to intelligence operatives. John Cusack's character, Emerson, is a former CIA agent who has been assigned to this station to protect a code broadcaster named Katherine (played by Akerman). Of course, one day the station comes under attack and all security measures have been compromised. This leaves Katherine and Emerson trapped in the station trying to unravel the mystery of what happened and trying escape with their lives.

While I didn't think this was a great movie and it was a bit predictable, I did find it to be decently entertaining. It's not an action-packed thriller but, I do think the story and confined environment were enough to build and maintain a good level of tension. Although the acting in this one is fine for the most part, Cusack (who's character is supposed to be cold and guarded with memories of past events that still haunt him) just comes off as bored or sleepy a few scenes.

Overall, this one isn't anything special but it's alright.
I give it a 2 out of 5

Beneath the Darkness

2011's Beneath the Darkness was one of my recent bargain bin finds and I picked it up because it sounded like it had potential.
 

The film is about a small town mortician named Vaughn Ely (played by Dennis Quaid) who's wife died a couple years back. One night, some high school kids decide to sneak onto Ely's property because there is a rumor his house is haunted. When the kids see the silhouette of people dancing through the window and notice Ely's van isn't there they decide to break in a search for answers. While inside the find the dead body of Ely's wife, and are soon confronted by Ely himself. While three of the kids escape, one of them is thrown down the stairs and killed by the mortician. Of course the police don't believe the kids story that this pillar of the community is a murderer and, after all, they did break into his house. Two of the teens Travis and Abby (played by Tony Oller and Amiee Teegarden respectively) refuse to let Ely get away his terrible deeds. So, set out to get proof that he's an insane murderer, nearly getting themselves killed in the process.

This isn't a good movie. The acting is dodgy and the film struggles to fill it's hour and a half runtime. The premise may sound intriguing but, its not executed well. If you happen upon this one on a streaming service or in a bargain bin, don't waste your time.

1 out of 5.

Tomorrow You're Gone

Tomorrow You're Gone is a 2013 crime-thriller starring Stephen Dorff, Michelle Monaghan, and Willem Dafoe. Honestly, based on the cast and the description on the back of the Blu-ray case, I thought this film was going to be right up my alley. Unfortunately, despite all of this, the film a bit of a dud.

The premise of the movie is that a man named Charlie (played by Dorff) has just been released from prison but he's not completely free yet. Charlie still owns a debt to a man known as 'The Buddha' (played by Dafoe). To settle this debt Charlie has to murder a guy for 'The Buddha' but, this is a movie, so things don't go quite as planned... Fairly early on in the film Charlie meets this woman named Florence (played by Michelle Monaghan) and she's probably the best part of the whole film. 

This movie could've worked but, it just doesn't. It's a bit too much style over substance, Dorff just isn't the right actor to carry this film in my opinion, the 92 minute runtime seemed like it was twice that, and the stakes just never felt real while I was watching it.

I was hoping that this was a hidden gem that had just flown under my radar but, that wasn't the case. I can't recommend this one.

1 out of 5

Recommended Double Feature: Kill the Irishman & The Iceman

Something I always enjoy doing when spending the night in or enjoying a quiet day off is finding a pair of films that go well together either because of genre, lead actor, or director. With that being said, I'm a big fan of movies about organized crime and these two, Kill the Irishman and The Iceman, make for a solid double feature if you want to spend an afternoon with a couple movies.

Both films are crime-thrillers based on actual people, they were released just two years apart, they largely take place in the 1960's and 70's, and both hold very similar Rotten Tomatoes scores. Also, despite the films having pretty good casts (Kill the Irishman stars Ray Stevenson, Val Kilmer, Vincent D'Onofrio, and Christopher Walken whereas The Iceman stars Michael Shannon, Winona Ryder, Chris Evans and Ray Liotta) they were both box-office disappointments. Quality-wise the movies are very similar; I like the cast of Kill the Irishman a little better and I also think it's just the more interesting movie overall. However, in the hands a more capable director The Iceman could've been the better of the two. Neither film is a top-tier entry in the genre like Goodfellas, The Godfather, or The Untouchables but they're still good entertaining movies.

If you're also fan of the genre then I recommend checking both of these out.

I give Kill the Irishman a 3.5 out of 5 and The Iceman a 3 out of 5.

A Brief Review of 'Phantom'

 

Phantom is a 2013 Cold War thriller that is "inspired by true events". The film stars both Ed Harris and David Duchovny but, despite having some good actors in leading roles, the movie is a bit of a tough watch. 

The plot involves the Soviet Union using a new device called 'The Phantom', which is mounted to a soviet submarine, with the goal of starting a war between the U.S. and China. The Phantom device can disguise the sub's acoustic signature to make it appear on radar to be any number of other ships. Thus, the Soviets can make it seem like the Chinese have launched a nuclear attack on the U.S. and start a war. The plot is a bit clunky and, surprisingly, almost completely devoid of tension. You will feel every minute of this 98min runtime. Plus, the effects are not good.

Overall, this is a perfect film to pop in on a lazy Sunday afternoon... if you want to take a nap.

I give it a 1.5 out of 5

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Beyond a Reasonable Doubt (2009)

 

If you've never seen 2009's Beyond a Reasonable Doubt then you're not alone. The film was a massive failure both critically and commercially, and it was a one that I only recently picked out of a bargain bin out of curiosity. The film is a remake of the 1956 Fritz Lang film of the same name and it is about a man who frames himself for murder in order to prove that the District Attorney has been planting evidence to secure convictions. 

The cast is bit of a mixed bag with Jesse Metcalfe playing a investigative journalist, Joel Moore as his friend and colleague, Amber Tamblyn as the love interest/Assistant DA, and Michael Douglas as the District Attorney. The plot is clunky and extremely predictable (even if you've never seen the original). I love suspense films so I do appreciate the effort, it just doesn't work in this one.

Overall, this isn't unwatchable by any means, it just feels like a subpar, paint by numbers crime-thriller. The last line in the movie is actually a closeup of Amber Tamblyn looking at the camera and saying "F*** You." I know that this is directed at Jesse Metcalfe's character, but I like to imagine that line was for the audience. 

I give this one a 2 out of 5.

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A look back at 'The Firm'

 

Released in 1993, The Firm is an entertaining thriller based on a best-selling John Grisham novel.

Despite boasting a solid cast consisting of actors like Tom Cruise, Gene Hackman, Jeanne Tripplehorn, Holly Hunter, and Ed Harris, I think this is an under-seen and probably under-appreciated movie. 

At approximately 2 1/2 hrs. it does drag a tad at a couple of points, but the plot is interesting and the acting is good.

 

The film is about a young lawyer named Mitch (played by Cruise) who accepts a too-good-to-be-true a job with a law firm in Memphis. He very quickly learns that the firm is involved in all sorts of shady activities including laundering money for the Mafia. Of course, the more Mitch looks into these dealings the more the higher ups at the firm grow suspicious. Pretty soon the FBI is also contacting Mitch hoping that he'll be their "man on the inside" feeding them the information needed for an ongoing investigation. Stuck between what the firm will do to him if they find out, and what the FBI will do if he refuses to cooperate results in an intriguing, tension-filled film.

 

Overall, while the movie isn't a masterpiece, I do think it's good. If you haven't seen it, or at least haven't seen it for a while, I recommend giving it a watch.

It's a solid 4 out of 5.

 

A Look Back at 'The Trouble with Harry'

Alfred Hitchcock was, without a doubt, one of history's all-time great filmmakers. 'Vertigo', 'North by Northwest', 'Psycho', 'Rear Window', 'The Man Who Knew Too Much', 'The Birds', and 'Strangers on a Train' are all classics. However, there are some really great Hitchcock films that have been largely forgotten. This is the case with the 1955, dark-comedy, 'The Trouble with Harry'.\

Harry is found dead at the onset of the film, just outside of a small Vermont town. While multiple people think they may have caused his death, no one is really all that concerned. One man thinks he accidentally shot Harry while rabbit hunting, one woman thinks he died after she hit him with her shoe, and even Harry's wife thinks it may have happened after she knocked him over the head with a milk bottle. Throughout the film the only real concern is what to do with the body and making sure the local deputy doesn't find out, and this leads to a lot of funny moments. The whole cast, from Edmund Gwenn, to John Forsythe, to Shirley MacLaine, and Mildred Natwick are all terrific and, for me, all of the comedy hits the mark.

Even though it's a comedy, it still has the great cinematography, the interesting characters, the solid Bernard Herrmann score and everything else you'd expect if you're a fan of Hitchcock's many of other films, particularly from the 50's and 60's.

Overall it's never going to rise to top of any 'Greatest Hitchcock Films' list, but it's one I enjoy and recommend checking out.
I give it a 5 out of 5.


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Today's Movie: Cape Fear

Today's review is Cape Fear. (the 1991 Martin Scorsese remake, not the 1962 one)

 The plot here is simple but effective: A convict named Max Cady (played by Robert De Niro) has recently been released from prison after serving a 14yr sentence. His lawyer all those years ago was Sam Bowden (played by Nick Nolte) who, was so appalled by Cady's crime, that he buried evidence that might have lightened the sentence or even lead to an acquittal. So, Max is out to get his revenge on Sam, stalking and threatening him, his wife Leigh (played by Jessica Lange), and his 15yr old daughter Danielle (played by Juliette Lewis). Sam files a restraining order, hires a private investigator, pays a few goons to beat Cady up, and even tries fleeing on a houseboat... but it doesn't seem like anything can stop Max Cady.

Even though the original in 1962 was directed by John Lee Thompson, Martin Scorsese opted to give his version a very Hitchcockian feel. This makes the film an interesting hybrid of ideas and influences, and a pretty unique Scorsese picture. Aside from some pacing and camera angles, the music is the same Bernard Herrmann score from the original and the opening credits were done by Saul Bass (both men collaborated with Alfred Hitchcock on a few of his most famous films). 

Overall, I wouldn't call this one my favorite Scorsese movie, or even my favorite Scorsese movie featuring Robert De Niro, but it's a suspenseful thriller and all of the acting solid. I typically argue against remakes but, this is one of the examples of a remake done right.

I give this one a 4 out of 5.

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Dial M for Murder

"...in stories things usually turn out the way the author wants them to; and in real life they don't... always."

Dial M for Murder is a 1954 crime/thriller Directed by the great Alfred Hitchcock. This one didn't quite make my '10 Alfred Hitchcock Movies Everyone Should See' list (which you can check out by clicking here), but that doesn't mean that it isn't a really good film. Like so many of Hitchcock's films, it ropes you in early on and keeps you locked in all the way through.. he's not called 'The Master of Suspense' for nothing after all. So, if you haven't seen this one, I'm just going to give the setup and a few other thoughts without spoiling how everything unfolds.

Ray Milland plays Tony Wendice who is a former professional tennis player and has discovered that his wife Margot (played by Grace Kelly) has been having an affair with an author named Mark Halliday (played by Robert Cummings). Instead of directly confronting her, Tony keeps his knowledge of the affair a secret and proceeds to plan the perfect murder. He figures that by having his wife killed he not only gets his revenge, but will also get the money left to him in her will. So, Tony gets in touch with a low-level criminal who happens to be an old college classmate of his, lays out the plan, and offers the man a substantial amount of money to carry out the murder. But, not everything goes as planned...

This movie was filmed in 3-D but it isn't one of those that looks ridiculous if you just watch it on your TV without 3-D glasses. There is the occasional object in the foreground that looks a tad off, but Hitchcock pretty much filmed it like he would any other film, and didn't resort to 3-D tricks like things popping out at the audience. The acting is solid, the story is interesting throughout, and I recommend checking it out if you've never seen it.

It's a classic and I give it a 5 out of 5.

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Today's Movie: Don't Say A Word

Don’t Say a Word is a 2001 thriller with a halfway decent premise and a pretty solid cast. It’s apparently based on a novel of the same name, but I’ve never read it so I won’t be making any comparisons to the book. 

A gang of thieves pull off a heist and steal a $10million gem but, two of the gang members double-cross their leader, Patrick Koster (played by Sean Bean) and take off with the gem. Some years later, a psychiatrist named Dr. Nathan Conrad (played Michael Douglas), is invited by his former colleague to examine a disturbed young woman named Elisabeth Burrows (played by Brittany Murphy) who is in an asylum. After he is released from prison, Patrick kidnaps the psychiatrist's daughter with the hope that he can force the doctor to acquire a 6-digit number from Elisabeth's memory. Elisabeth’s father was one of the gang members who double-crossed Patrick and the number is, of course, the key to finding out where hidden the gem is hidden. So, Dr. Conrad has to earn Elisabeth’s trust, get the numbers from her, and rescue his daughter.

This is one of those movies that seems like it should pretty good, but for whatever reason kinda falls flat. Maybe it’s just too predictable to be a really great thriller, or maybe they just couldn’t get what worked for the novel to translate well in a 2hr film. It’s definitely not horrible, just underwhelming. 

I give this one a 2.5 out of 5.

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 ...and don't forget to check out my review of Disney's newest film Moana by clicking here.

A Look Back At 'Psycho' (1960)

One of Alfred Hitchcock’s great cinematic masterpieces (and I would even argue his best) is 1960’s Psycho. I had previously placed it on my ’10 Movies to Watch in October’ list (which you can check out here: http://onlyinthemoviesblog.blogspot.com/2016/10/10-movies-to-watch-in-october.html) but I still felt like I should have given it a little more of a in-depth review.

 This is not only a great psychological horror film but a great film overall, with iconic moments, a great score, solid acting (particularly Anthony Perkins) and wall-to-wall suspense. It’s spawned a couple of sequels, a remake, and TV show. Much like Hitchcock urging theater owners not to let people to enter the theater late, because it would ruin the experience, I’ll give the setup and end it there just in case anyone reading this has not seen the movie.

The Film starts out in Phoenix, Arizona. During a hotel rendezvous while on her lunch hour, a secretary at a real estate office named Marion Crane (played by Janet Leigh) discusses with her boyfriend, Sam Loomis (played by John Gavin), why they can’t afford to get married because Sam is in pretty substantial debt. When Marion returns from lunch, a client comes by the office and drops off a $40,000 cash deposit for a property. Her boss asks her to deposit the money in the bank, and she asks him if she can take the rest of the afternoon off afterwards. But, she doesn’t go to the bank and instead decides to steal the money to give to Sam. So, Marion heads out of town and toward California where Sam lives. That evening, she pulls over on the side of the road and falls asleep, only to be awakened in the morning by a state trooper. He asks her a couple of questions and is suspicious about her nervous behavior but lets her to drive on anyway. Shaken by the run-in with the officer, Marion stops at a dealership and trades in her car for another and then continues on her way.

Later during her travels, it starts raining pretty heavily so she decides to stop for the night at the Bates Motel where she meets Norman Bates and the whole film take a sudden and violent turn.

Like I stated earlier, I think this is one of the all-time great films and it’s always especially good to watch around Halloween. So, if you’re one of the few who hasn’t seen it -or- if you just haven't watched it in a while, go check it out. You’ll be glad you did.

I give this film a 5 out of 5.

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...and for some more good reads check out this Book, Video game, and Comicbook blog:
Boredenthusiast.blogspot.com 

Today's Movie: Soylent Green (1973)

Released in 1973, Soylent Green is a sci-fi/thriller starring Charlton Heston, Leigh Taylor-Young, and Edward G. Robinson. The film takes place in the year 2022; it’s a dystopian future where the world is suffering from pollution, year-round summer, depleting resources, and a whole slew of other problems. The movie is apparently based on the 1966 novel Make Room! Make Room!, but I’ve never read it so I won’t compare the two.

It’s established pretty early on in the film that the majority of the population is homeless, out of work, and because food is so scarce the common folk have to eat this food called ’Soylent Green’ which is apparently made from plankton. Only the rich elites can afford real fruit, vegetables, and meat.

When a wealthy businessman named William Simonson is murdered, New York City detective Frank Thorn (played by Heston), is sent in to investigate. Thorn checks out the crime scene, questions Simonson’s bodyguard and a woman named Shirl (Leigh Taylor-Young), he takes some of the luxury items like steak and bourbon and also a book titled ‘Soylent Oceanographic Survey Report’.

Later Thorn gives the book to his friend and police analyst Sol Roth (played by Edward G. Robinson)  to do some research. Roth soon discovers that Simonson and the state governor, Joseph Santini, were partners in a law firm, and that Simonson was also a member of the board of the Soylent Corporation. This only further leads Thorn to suspect that the murder wasn’t a burglary gone wrong, but rather an assassination. There are a few twists and turns but, it’s a pretty run-of-the-mill, police thriller until about the last 20 mins.

After further research, Roth decides to go to a clinic for an assisted suicide because he can’t live with the knowledge of his findings. Thorn rushes to stop him, but arrives too late. However, just before dying, Roth tells Thorn to expose the truth. So, Thorn hides aboard a garbage truck headed to a body disposal center, where he sees human corpses are being converted into Soylent Green. This eventually leads to the iconic final line when Heston yells out "Soylent Green is people!”

Overall, it’s decent and there are some interesting ideas in the film, but I wouldn’t call it a ‘must-see’ film. I give this one a 2.5 out of 5.

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